This invention relates to an open-end spinning machine with a plurality of spinning units arranged side-by-side and with at least one mobile servicing device guided for movement along running (copping) rails adjacent the machine.
In order to be able to effect a partially or fully automatic thread piecing, cleaning, and/or bobbin change operation in open-end spinning machines, the latter are equipped with appropriate servicing devices. Depending on the purpose for which they are used and the given circumstances, the servicing devices are accommodated in a single moble unit or in several sliding carriages movable independently from one another.
It is conventional (DOS (German Unexamined Laid-Open application) No. 2,118,775) to equip an open-end spinning mchine with a mobile thread piecing device which can travel on two horizontally arranged copping or running rails. In this type of structure, auxiliary drives and circuits of the mobile servicing device must be connected electrically and mechanically with corresponding parts of the spinning unit which requires servicing. For this purpose, it is necessary to align the spinning unit and the servicing device for the thread piecing step with a minimum of tolerances (maximum accuracy). However, such precision; cannot be readily realized by running rails fixedly joined to the machine, especially because elastic deformations occur, due to the weight of the servicing device, at the machine and at the running rails. Additionally, there are unavoidable assembly and manufacturing tolerances between the parts of the individual spinning stations, as well as wear and tear which is unavoidable during the course of time. Unless special measures are taken to compensate for these tolerances, the operation safety of the servicing device is considerably reduced.
It is furthermore known (DOS 2,347,783, FIG. 3) to equip an open-end spinning device with a mobile servicing device which in this case is fashioned as a bobbin changing device. This servicing device is held on guide rails by means of runners provided with flanges or rims, one of these rails being arranged at the spinning device proper and the other being arranged therebelow. In this type of construction, the two guide rails are located a very great distance from the servicing site proper, namely the zone of the windup bobbin, so thata an exact positioning with respect to this servicing site is not exactly possible in this way.
Furthermore, a knotting device is known which can be moved along an open-end spinning machine (U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,059) wherein two guide rails are provided mounted above and below the spinning station at the machine frame. Also in this type of construction, deformations occur making it extraordinarily difficult to effect an exact postioning at every spinning station. Besides, the guide rails can be disposed in this way only due to the fact that in this type of structure the spinning cans with the sliver feed are disposed on the side oppositely to the spinning station proper. This is undesirable in modern open-end spinning machines, since this requires an excessive amount of space. Besides, the operation is disadvantageous, since the operator would have to operate and service each spinning station from two sides. Moreover, no machines could then be utilized which are provided with spinning units disposed side-by-side on two opposite sides.
Also, a thread piecing device is known which can be moved along a ring spinning machine (British Pat. No. 1,321,182) wherein a copping or running rail is mounted to the spindle rail and another copping or running rail is arranged essentially above the spindles. On the lower copping or running rail, the drive rollers of the serivicing device are adapted to run up, these rollers being equipped with vertical axles. Additionally, the same rail is associated with rollers having horizontal axles and being arranged on spring-supported arms; these rollers carry a flange on the side opposite to the drive rollers, so that the latter are resiliently pulled toward the copping or running rails. Also in this type of structure, the aforementioned difficulties are encountered, with respect to alignment of the servicing device in relation to the individual spinning stations which here are represented by spindle.
The present invention contemplates overcoming the above-noted disadvantages of the prior art. More particularly, the invention is based, at least in part, on solving the problem of fashioning an open-end spinning machine with a mobile servicing device so that a precise alignment or positioning of the servicing device with respect to each individual spinning unit is possible without having to make the running rails of the spinning machine of an especially great strength and without having to manufacture and mount these rails with particularly narrow tolerances.
It is contemplated by this invention to provide these just mentioned advantages without having to effect a fundamental alteration of the open-end spinning machine. In particular, the operating personnel is not to be impeded by guide rails disposed at a low level, the spinning cans are to be accommodated without obstacles, and furthermore it is to be possible to provide a machine which is equipped with spinning units on both sides.
According to a first advantageous feature of the present invention, each spinning unit is provided with supporting elements adjustably mounted thereon, on which supporting elements the mobile servicing device is guided at least horizontally to move at right angles to the traveling direction and is supported during the conductance of a servicing operation.
It has now been made possible by this just-noted feature of the present invention to align the servicing device with any spinning unit with accuracy, in spite of tolerances and any deformations which may occur due to the weight of the components, so that too heavy a machine construction is avoided. It is possible to accurately adjust the servicing device at each individual spinning station. This is advantageous above all for the horizontal spacing between the servicing device and the spinning unit, since tolerances in the vertical direction are far less problematic, as was found in practical experience. No fundamental change of the arrangement of the spinning units or the construction plan of the machine is carried out, or required so that the usual operating conditions are preserved.
According to another advantageous feature of preferred embodiments of the invention, the mobile servicing device is supported on a first running rail which extends continuously and is disposed above the spinning units and on a second running rail arranged in the zone (at the vertical level) of the service locations or sites of the spinning units. This second running rail is composed of individual sections respectively associated one each with a spinning unit and being independently adjustable horizontally and optionally vertically. This arrangement is particularly advantageous with regard to optimizing space utilization.
According to another advantageous feature of preferred embodiments of the invention, the mobile servicing device is guided vertically and horizontally on continuous running rails. Supporting elements which are independently adjustable are provided for lifting this servicing device off from these rails horizontally and at right angles to the travel direction of the mobile servicing device along the rails at each spinning unit. This feature also advantageously utilizes available space.
To permit in a simple manner a horizontal adjustment motion of the servicing device, preferred embodiments of this invention provide that the mobile servicing device is guided to be pivotable about a running rail disposed above the spinning units. A similar effect can be obtained according to another feature of the present invention by connecting a sliding unit guided along the top running rail via a joint to the servicing device.
According to another advantageous feature of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the supporting elements (for horizonal positioning and support) each are arranged at a housing of the respective spinning unit which housing is fashioned as a cover which can be pivoted away for opening the spinning unit. This pivotable housing (cover) contains a component, with respect to which a servicing device, fashioned for example as a thread piecing device, is to be especially aligned, namely the thread take-off duct. Therefore, an adjustment of this housing to change the spinning conditions does not result in an alteration of the positioning of the servicing device with regard to the thread take-off duct.
In cases where the inherent wieght of the servicing device should be insufficient to maintain the accurate position thereof during the servicing operation, the present invention contemplates providing a locking element to lock the servicing device with a counterpart at each spinning unit.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.